Pope: Get out in the real world to find Jesus

Pope Francis blesses a boy as he leaves his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sept. 25. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — People will not find Jesus by hanging out in first-class lounges or in the library, but by being out and about in the real world and in prayer, Pope Francis said.

And following him will not be easy because “Jesus creates problems,” the pope said Sept. 26 during his morning Mass in his residence of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

“You can’t know Jesus without getting involved with him, without betting your life on him,” he said.

According to the day’s Gospel reading in Luke, King Herod wanted to know this man who was called a prophet.

People were beginning to be afraid of this man “because he may bring about political strife with the Romans” and cause problems, the pope said.

Well, “Jesus creates problems,” he added.

“You can’t know Jesus without having problems, and I would venture to say: ‘If you want to have problems, go out on the road to know Jesus. You won’t have one, you’ll have many,'” he said.

“You can’t know Jesus in first class. You get to know Jesus out and about in your everyday, daily life.”

“You can’t know Jesus where it’s peace and quiet, or in the library,” he added.

Pope Francis emphasized it is important to read what the church has to say about Jesus.

In fact, “we have to study and learn” the Catechism of the Catholic Church, where it teaches people about the son of God, God’s love and the story of salvation.

While reading the catechism is necessary, it’s not enough, he said.

“It’s necessary to know Jesus in dialogue with him, talking with him, in prayer, on your knees.”

“If you don’t pray, if you don’t talk with Jesus, you don’t know him,” he said.

Studying the church’s teachings helps getting to know Jesus with one’s mind, and prayer helps with getting to know him with one’s heart, but people also need to get to know him through action, “going with him, walking with him,” the pope said.

In order to truly know Jesus, he said, people need to learn these “three languages — of the mind, heart and action.”

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